Sundai Michigan International Academy

Sundai Michigan International Academy (駿台ミシガン国際学院 Sundai Mishigan Kokusai Gakuin), affiliated with the Sundai Center for International Education (駿台国際教育センター Sundai Kokusai Kyōiku Sentā, see 駿台予備学校), is located in Novi, Michigan, in Metro Detroit.^[1] The school's purpose is to prepare Japanese children who have lived in the United States for a long time for a return to Japan, and to assist newly arrived Japanese children who have no fluency of English.^[2] As of 2008 it was the only Japanese-style year-round school within the State of Michigan; in addition to a day school program, the school has after-school and weekend classes.^[3]

History

Previously known as the Koby International Academy (コービィ国際学院 Kōbii Kokusai Gakuin),^[4] the school was founded in September 1993.^[5] It was founded by Yoshihisa Kobayashi, who, as of 2008, is the president of the school. Kobayashi moved to the U.S. in 1987 after working as an English teacher in his native Japan. Prior to opening Koby, Kobayashi attended Master of Business Administration (MBA) courses at the University of Detroit Mercy and worked in the automobile sector.^[3]

The school began with after school enrichment and Saturday supplemental divisions. In 1999 the day school opened, and the school was registered with the Michigan Department of Education in 2000.^[6] In 2008 it had a yearly tuition of $10,000 and a 60 student waiting list. As of 2008 it is not accredited. The school does not take public funds, so it is not required to offer standardized tests such as the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP).^[3]

Campus

The school formerly had its main campus in the Peach Tree Plaza shopping center in Novi and the West Maple Center (West Maple校 -Kō) in West Bloomfield Township.^[7][8] As of 2008 the school had plans to occupy empty storefronts and expand within the Peach Tree shopping center.^[3]

Curriculum

The school offers calligraphy, English, handicrafts, mathematics, and science courses. As of 2008 the school's teachers give more individualized attention due to the class sizes, as there were 12 students per class.^[3]

Student body

As of 2008 most of the school's students are those who will shortly return to Japan; about 95% of the students were scheduled to leave the United States and return to Japan within a three-year period. The students live in various parts of Southeast Michigan, including Ann Arbor and Canton. As of 2008, 60 students were on the school's waiting list.^[3] Velvet S. McNeil of The Detroit News wrote "Students who don't speak fluent English often find the school comforting."^[9]

Notable employees

• Katate Masatsuka

See also

Sundai educational system

• Sundai Preparatory School
• Sundai Ireland International School

Japanese community of Detroit

• History of the Japanese in Metro Detroit
• Japanese School of Detroit
• Hinoki International School
• Niji-Iro Japanese Immersion Elementary School
• Consulate-General of Japan, Detroit

American schools in Japan

• American School in Japan, American international school in Tokyo

References

Notes

• Content originated from History of the Japanese in Metro Detroit

External links

• Sundai Michigan International Academy (Japanese)
• Koby International Academy (Japanese) (Archive)

Japanese international day and boarding schools in the United States Weekend supplementary schools (hoshū jugyō kō) are located in a separate template High schools Keio Academy of New York Closed Tennessee Meiji Gakuin High School Elementary and junior high schools Chicago Futabakai Japanese School The Greenwich Japanese School Japanese School of Guam The New Jersey Japanese School Nishiyamato Academy of California Sundai Michigan International Academy Permanently closed International Bilingual School Elementary schools Seigakuin Atlanta International School (formerly had junior high school) K-8? schools Lyceum Kennedy Japanese School (New York City) The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) classifies Keio Academy of New York, Nishiyamato Academy, and Seigakuin Atlanta, in addition to the former Tennessee Meiji Gakuin, as shiritsu zaigai kyōiku shisetsu (overseas branches of Japanese private schools). The Greenwich, New Jersey, Chicago, and Guam schools are classified by MEXT as nihonjin gakkō (Japanese international schools) as they are operated by Japanese associations. Italicized schools, including the Lyceum Kennedy, Sundai Michigan, and International Bilingual School (as of 2000), are/were not recognized as Japanese schools by MEXT.

Japanese weekend schools in the United States and Canada With Japanese gov't teachers United States Chicago Futabakai Japanese Saturday School Japanese School of Dallas Japanese School of Detroit Japanese School of Guam Japanese Language Supplementary School of Houston Asahi Gakuen (Los Angeles area) Japanese Weekend School of New York (New York City area) Portland Japanese School Princeton Community Japanese Language School San Francisco Japanese School Seattle Japanese School Indiana Japanese Language School (インディアナ日本語学校) (Indianapolis) Minato Gakuen (みなと学園) (San Diego) Canada Toronto Japanese School W/o Japanese gov't teachers U.S. schools w/o gov't teachers Minneapolis Japanese School Minnesota Japanese School Nishiyamato Academy Saturday School (Lomita, CA) Orlando Hoshuko St. Louis Japanese School Sundai Michigan International Academy (Detroit area) Canada schools w/o gov't teachers Montreal Hoshuko School The Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) designates most of these schools as hoshū jugyō kō. Schools in italics are not designated as such by MEXT.